Germany is preparing to host the biggest air deployment exercise in NATO’s history, a show of force intended to impress allies and potential adversaries such as Russia. The Air Defender 23 exercise starting next week will see 10,000 participants and 250 aircraft from 25 nations respond to a simulated attack on a NATO member country.
The United States alone is sending 2,000 U.S. Air National Guard personnel and about 100 aircraft to take part in the training maneuvers.